BEN IS ROOT MAN FOR JOB AHEAD

JOE ROOT is confident Ben Stokes can return to his match-winning best in time to have a giant impact on The Ashes.

Skipper Root will set off for his third Ashes tour on Thursday with a spring in his step after seeing several pieces of his puzzle, including Stokes, fall into place ahead of the mission.

There will be three days of hotel quarantine followed by a more relaxed 11 days in a resort on Queensland’s Gold Coast where England will start their preparations for the five-Test series.

And it is where Stokes, 30, will up his workload to make sure he can play a full part in the two intersquad warm-up games and hit the ground running for the first Test against Tim Paine (below, right) and his Aussie side at the Gabba on December 8.

“He’s a massive asset in many respects,” said Root (above, with pal Stokes). “First and foremost his performances, especially what he has done against Australia – but also the way he plays his cricket.

“We are going to have periods of play where it’s going to be very challenging and will need people to stick their hands up and grab the game. He is someone who will always do that and he has had success there before.

“One of the things we will have to manage is making sure his workload is up with ball in hand and he doesn’t go in light ahead of that first game.

“But if there’s one thing we can bet on with Ben, it’s that he’ll do everything he can to ready himself then put in performances that will help England win games.”

Root also took great delight seeing how Jos Buttler, another key man, has been performing out at the T20 World Cup, particularly his 71 not out against the Aussie bowlers which will be fairly similar to their Test attack.

“We’ve got a good understanding of how they play their cricket at home,” added Root.

“Australia’s attack has been similar for a long period of time now. There’s a lot of information and knowledge we can prepare ourselves for.

“And also probably try to lean on that confidence and performance the T20 side put in the other night. There will be guys from both teams involved in The Ashes and you want to try to capture as much confidence going into that series as you can.”